


Finding the Sun

by CharitiniCS



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan - Freeform, Captain Swan Children, Daddy!Killian, Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Mummy!emma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 09:39:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12554592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharitiniCS/pseuds/CharitiniCS
Summary: When Killian comes home to find his daughter upset for quite the unusual reason, he convinces Emma it’s time to take a trip down the memory lane and revisit one of the most beautiful days they ever had, this time with their little girl.Captain Swan family fluff + Leia being adorable + dancing in the living room





	Finding the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Next addition to my Leia Swan-Jones one shot universe :)  
> This one is, like always, extra fluffy but after everything I think we definitely need some happiness.  
> I hope you enjoy!

“Love, I’m home. Where are my girls?”

Killian calls cheerfully, as he spots Emma making dinner -more like serving the takeaway pizza into plates, but that’s his wife- in the kitchen. Emma’s lack of culinary skills is another thing he learned to love about her. It means he can cook for her more often and see her smile of appreciation when she tries yet another one of his new recipes. And how he loves that smile.

“Hey babe, I missed you.”

Emma runs to him, getting on her tiptoes to give him a chaste kiss on the lips. His arms immediately circle her waist.

“Missed you too, love.”

“How is Belle?”

Belle recently decided the town’s library needed a renovation. The place was old and the book collection hadn’t been updated since the first curse, meaning since forever. Most of the books were from before the ‘80s and definitely not the Storybrooke residents’ cup of tea anymore. With Gideon off at school, she had much free time in her hands for this new project. Killian volunteered to help with moving shelves and rearranging the space, an offer Belle gladly accepted. And that is how he spent most of his Saturday.

“She is good. I’m pretty sure little Gideon will be giving her her first gray hair soon though.” Emma chuckles at that. “You have no idea Swan, this boy’s energy never runs out.”

“And speaking of that,” he continues, “where is our little bundle of energy?”

He raises a questioning eyebrow and brushes a strand of Emma’s blonde hair behind her ear. It is unusual for Leia not to come running down the stairs and jump into his arms as soon as she hears the door opening. She does that for both him and Emma since she learned how to walk.

“Oh, Leia is upstairs. I have to warn you though, she is a bit upset with us.”

Killian frowns. In the morning he left his daughter her usual cheery, bubbly self he loves. He read her a “morning bedtime” story -because he would miss her midday nap and that obviously meant their bedtime ritual should be transferred earlier-, engaged her in a tickling match and most importantly spent fifteen whole minutes resolving the argument between her stuffed duck, Duckie and her Olaf plushie -which apparently created drama in Leia’s tea parties - before carrying her to their bedroom to continue the morning cuddles with Emma. He gave both a kiss on the forehead and wished them a beautiful day before heading to the library. What could have upset his little girl?

“Leia, upset? What happened?”

Their daughter was never a grumpy kid so his mind went to the most extreme situations, his brow wrinkled with worry. Emma notices his uneasiness instantly. _Open book._

“Hey, don’t worry. She is being a kid.” Her hands go up and down his forearms in a soothing motion.

“I’ll just go upstairs to check on her. Will you at least prepare me?”

Emma shakes her head. “Nah, I don’t wanna ruin it for you.”

“Ruin?” Killian clearly doesn’t follow but he sees his wife smiling and biting her lip as if she is trying to suppress a laugh and he automatically relaxes. If Emma isn’t worried, it’s not serious. Apparently, his wife finds Leia’s current grumpiness amusing.

“Just go.”

Killian walks up the stairs to find his daughter’s bedroom door slightly ajar. He still knocks. Leia might be a kid but she deserves her privacy as much as anyone does. He has always treated her like her own person.

“Little love, can I come in?” He asks tentatively, his fingers brushing against the wooden letters forming his daughter’s name on the door. He knows that no matter what, Leia rarely denies their comfort. He is proud of the fact that in the five years of her life, his little girl never once doubted how loved and cherished she is. That was his and Emma’s purpose since they learned about her existence. He can’t help but smile at the thought.

  
“Okay.”

Killian opens the door slowly and walks in to find Leia sitting on her bed, arms crossed over her chest. She is trying to appear stern but she looks adorable, still in her anchor pajamas, her blonde hair in two little braids.  
Her coloring book and pencils are scattered on the floor next to her. It’s obvious she was drawing but stopped when he knocked on the door. He knows Leia wants him to ask what’s wrong and that’s her way of making sure he notices she is upset.

Kneeling on the floor next to her, he puts his hand on her leg, thumb going up and down her kneecap.

“Why are you sitting here alone, sweetheart?”

“I wanna be alone to think.” Killian tries hard not to smile at her grown-up ways. She obviously heard this phrase somewhere.

“Will you give me a hug at least? I missed you. You know your hugs are...”

“...magic that makes daddy’s energy come back after a tiring day. I know.”

That’s what he told her since she was little and she still believed it. It’s not hard to believe in magic when you are growing up in Storybrooke after all. When your mum turns on your night light with a snap of her fingers or when she brushes her palm over your knee and your scraps and bruises are suddenly gone. Killian often pretends he can’t keep his eyes open till Leia gives him her “long extra special magic hugs” and then he is wide awake playing with her and Emma until it’s time for bed. His daughter is always so proud and Emma finds it endearing. It’s not completely false either. Hugs from his two girls always make his days brighter.

“That’s right.”

“Do you want simple or extra special magic hug?” Leia asks and she is totally talking business.

“Extra special magic hug would be perfect, if you ask me.”

She doesn’t need to be told twice. She jumps into her father’s waiting arms and he holds her against his chest, like a baby. She is still small and Killian is dreading the moment she will be too old for stuff like that.

“Darling, you can tell me now. What’s troubling you? We will make everything okay, you’ll see. Don’t we always?”

He feels Leia nodding against his chest before pulling away to look at him.

“I’m so upset with you and mummy.” Her small fingers are wrapped around the charms of his necklace and Killian knows that whatever it is, it’s not serious enough to drive her away from him. And judging from his wife’s reaction it’s nothing to be worried about.

“What did me and mummy do to upset you, princess?” Every time he calls his daughter princess he remembers her face when Emma explained it wasn’t just a nickname daddy had for her and that she was an actual princess of the Enchanted Forest, like herself. Her face was surprise, then absolute joy then _“wait, but I am a pirate too, can I be both?”_. After both he and Emma told her she can be whatever she wants in the world, she relaxed again, declaring that being a pirate princess is amazing.

“Mummy showed me your wedding album today.”

Killian frowns.

“And... Wasn’t it nice?” He can’t understand how photographs of his and Emma’s wedding day upset their daughter this much. Parenting books didn’t prepare him for _this_ kind of meltdown.

“Yeah.” Leia looks down on her lap, answering a bit reluctantly.

He plays with a strand of her hair that had fallen free from her braid. If he is to get a clue of what is worrying her, he needs her to talk more.

“Wasn’t mummy the most beautiful bride?”

“Yeah she was like a princess.”

Killian puts his fingers on Leia’s chin, gently probing her to look at him.

“Then why is my little girl upset, then?” He pokes her nose lightly, in an attempt to make her laugh and he is rewarded by a small smile before seeing her turn serious again. It’s still a victory, given the situation.

“Because I wasn’t there.”

Killian blinks rapidly. “Wh-what?”

“It was so fun and pretty and you didn’t think of inviting me? I thought we did everything together. Is it because I’m small?” She unwraps her arms from around his torso but still stays on his lap.

A laugh escapes Killian no matter how hard he tries to control it. Emma was right. He kisses Leia’s forehead and tightens his hold on her. She is just so adorable and even though he doesn’t want it to seem like he is laughing at her, the situation is too funny to be keeping a straight face.

"Oh little love, is this why you are sad? Sweetheart, when me and mummy got married you weren't born."

Leia eyes him suspiciously. “But why?”

“Because you came to our lives a few years after that.”

Leia was born about five years after their wedding. They both did want kids in their future, they had discussed it even before their wedding but decided to wait. Villain-less Storybrooke was new to them and they wanted to savor their time together to just ...live. Be a normal couple. They had both been through too much lately and they wouldn’t bring another person into the world without being absolutely sure this stuff was behind them. When the time was right they tried. Leia didn’t come right away but she was so worth the wait.

“Then you should have waited till I was born, daddy.” She definitely takes her stubbornness from Emma.

“That couldn’t happen, little love.”

“Why is that? You always wait for mummy to finish getting ready when you two go on your dates. You don’t just go alone. You and mum could wait for me.”

Killian chuckles at that and that makes Leia give him that scary stare he is pretty sure she gets from Emma and he is also sure will drive every unwanted boy in her future miles away. _Good_.

“It’s different. Usually, two people fall in love, then get married and then have beautiful babies like you.”

He tickles her sides and the sound of her giggles makes his heart full. He knows her reason of being upset sounds silly but it’s important to her so he will still do everything to ease her worries.

“That’s not fair.” She says between laughs. “And I’m not a baby.”

"Leia, love, you don't have to worry your little heart with stuff like that, darling. I’ll make a promise to you right now that you will never miss anything again."

“Pinky promise?”

Leia offers her finger and he takes it. “As you wish.”

He stands picking her up as well, settling her on his hip. “Shall we go downstairs and tell mummy you are okay now and give her a big hug?” She nods against his shoulder, then suddenly goes still.

“Wait!”

Killian stops halfway down the stairs. “What’s wrong now?”

“Can’t you and mummy get married again?”

Killian laughs and carries her down the rest of the stairs.

“You, my lass, are impossible. You should ask mummy that.” He kisses the side of her head as they approach Emma in the kitchen. Leia throws her arms around her neck when she is close enough and Killian passes her to his wife.

“Mummy, sorry I was upset, I know I wasn’t born yet.” Her face is buried in the crook of Emma’s neck and Emma is caressing the back of her head.

“It’s alright, baby. If it was in my hands you would be there, believe me.” If she is honest with herself, with the circumstances surrounding their wedding that wouldn’t really be possible. She definitely wouldn’t want to have a small kid with her during the final battle. She knows the black fairy would try to hurt her. Leia is her biggest strength but at the same time weakness, just like Henry and Killian.

And what about the curse? Would Leia stay in Storybrooke, adopted by the black fairy like Henry or even worse alone and abandoned? Would she be transported to the rapidly deteriorating Enchanted Forest with her dad? She shakes her head, tightening her hold on Leia. No, her baby is here now. Safe. They did good, her and Killian. Leia is safe.

“Can’t you marry daddy again?” Leia breaks Emma out of her thoughts as she mumbles against her neck.

“I would marry daddy every day if I could.” Her emerald eyes lock with Killian’s ocean blue ones and she smiles at his awestruck expression. She loves how even after quite a few years of being married he still looks at her like she is the most precious thing in the world, like he doesn’t believe she is his.

Killian was always quite the romantic. He has a way with words which makes Emma’s heart flutter and her knees go weak. She, on the contrary, prefers showing her affection rather than talking about it. Remnant from growing up the way she did. She has gotten a lot better with sharing how she feels over the years with Henry, her parents, Killian, and then a baby who was telling her “ _I love you mommy”_ every ten minutes since she learned the words. But even if the times she opens her heart aren’t rare anymore, it is endearing to watch her husband’s face light up every single time. She has it as her personal goal to make him smile like that as often as she can.

“Then marry him again.” Leia’s toothy grin makes Emma laugh. It takes a while to realize her daughter is being serious. She definitely gets her stubbornness from her dad who is currently staring at them amused. She silently pleads for help and he raises his shoulders, his typical _“I tried love, now it’s your turn”_ before raising his eyebrow and Emma can almost hear him saying _“I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea though.”_ She wants to smack him. Or kiss the smugness off his face. Or both.

“Honey, me and daddy are married already, people usually marry once.”

Leia threads her fingers through Emma’s hair, a habit she had since she was a baby and gives her what Emma calls the _“Killian puppy eyes”._

“But I wanted to dance and sing with you and wear a pretty dress like yours.”

“Then why don’t we do it?” Killian chimes in looking at Emma who just rolls her eyes brushing him off with her hand.

But he is still staring at her, one eyebrow raised as if he is waiting for an answer.

“Wait, you are serious?” By this point, Leia is bouncing up excitedly on Emma’s hip and she lets her down, only for her to keep jumping up and down on the floor.

“I’m one hundred percent serious.”

“‘Killian, this is insane. We are married already. We can’t just re-marry, you know that.” Emma tries to make him see reason.

“Maybe not. I mean, we don’t have to do the actual ceremony, as much as I would love to recite our vows again.” He winks. “But we can always do the wedding party. Uninterrupted this time. You, me and Leia. What do you say, Swan?”

“Mummy, say yes!” Emma knows the cause is lost when her daughter and her husband team up. She can’t resist either of them and their adorable grins combined is the actual death of any reasonable thought she previously had. Also seeing Killian going the extra mile, thinking of ways to make their girl happy when most other parents would be like “she will get over it” does things to her heart.

She doesn’t know if it’s for Leia, Killian or even a little bit for her sake when she finds herself agreeing.

“It doesn’t seem like a bad idea, now that I think about it.”

Leia runs to hug her legs, and then her dad’s who gives her a big high five.

“Will you spin me around like you do mummy, dad?”

“Of course, little love.”

“And also dip me, but I’m too small but I think you can do it daddy, and mummy, you will show me how to twirl so my dress will move around and...Wait, I don’t have a dress. Mum, I don’t have a dress.”

Emma and Killian laugh at her adorable babbling. She probably takes that from her grandmother.

“That can be fixed. Give me a second.” With of flick of Emma’s wrist she and Killian get into their wedding outfits, Leia into a beautiful pale pink dress, long enough so she could twirl around it. Her magic certainly comes with a lot of perks.

Her daughter’s smile lights up the room. As does her husband’s, who pulls her to him for a long, toe-curling kiss which would normally make Leia complain if she wasn’t busy running around the living room.

“We are being dorks, Killian.” She laughs, struggling to get out of his arms as he attacks her face with kisses.

“I rather like it, Swan. Remember our dancing moves?” With that, he picks her up, spinning her around the same way he did all those years ago at their wedding, or years after that when Emma told him he was going to be a father. Emma lets out a high pitched shriek which is definitely not Sheriff Swan appropriate but then again he loves seeing her so carefree.

“My husband is a child, god save me.” She buries her head in his shoulder as he finally lets her down.

“You love me for it.”

“I love you for everything.” Emma leans to kiss him again until she feels a tug on her dress.

“Mommy, daddy, look.” Leia takes a few steps away to create some distance and starts spinning, her dress floating around her ankles.

Emma feels a gentle press on her back. “Go join her, Swan. You know you want to.”

Her eyes fall to Leia who is motioning with her hand for her to come. She doesn’t need more convincing. In a few seconds they are giggling and spinning around together, Killian watching them like they hang the moon and stars. But when doesn’t he look at them like that? Suddenly Emma slows down, walking to her husband, her hand outstretched. He takes it.

“ _Tomorrow is uncertain, who knows what it would bring.”_

Emma starts singing and Killian bends down to pick up Leia, holding her on his hip with his good arm, his hooked one wrapped around Emma’s waist. They sway together, the only difference from their wedding, the little body squeezed between them. Their daughter. The physical representation of their happy beginning.

_“But one thing is for sure, loves, with you I have everything.”_

Emma smiles at his small change in the lyric. He kisses his daughter’s cheek, then his wife gently on the mouth. He wants to lift Emma like before, like in their wedding, but his good hand is occupied with keeping Leia steady against his chest. Emma, as if reading his thoughts, comes closer, erasing every inch of distance between their bodies. She puts her head on his shoulder, hands wrapping around his waist. It reminds him of that time at their anniversary, when she introduced him to slow dancing. Killian doubts it can be called dancing when actual steps aren’t involved but he would never complain. He loves breathing Emma in with every move they make, feeling her heartbeat steady against his ribcage. Leia rests her head on his other shoulder and he swears, he never felt more whole than this moment.

  
_“A happily ever after, is the way these stories go.”_

After a few tries, it turns out Killian can indeed dip Leia. As someone told Emma a while ago, the hint is to pick a partner who knows what he is doing. To dance, or to life, she never understood. Now she knows: to both. That day, Leia learns dance steps are much easier when you stand on your dad’s feet. Perhaps life works in a similar way. 

_“Used to think that’s what I wanted, but now I finally know.”_

Maybe spinning around in a black tuxedo isn’t nearly as exciting as it is in a dress but who is Killian to deny his daughter anything? He did wear a sparkly set of wings and pretended to be Tinker bell one day after all, just because Leia wanted to be Captain Hook. Emma has to put her hand over her mouth to contain her giggles and when she wraps herself around his arm, imitating yet another one of their wedding dance moves, he pins her to him and starts tickling her, making the last words of the song lyric sound breathless.

  
_“There’s no storm we can’t outrun, we will always find the sun.”_

So many storms. Curses and villains, even death. Thinking back, they wouldn’t change a single thing. They all led them home. Led them to each other and to their little sun right in the middle, illuminating their lives, warming their hearts more than they ever thought possible. No, they wouldn’t change a thing in their journey. They would go through it again, any day. Because some things are worth it. Like Leia’s giggles when her parents respectively spin her around. Like her hugs and her smell and like her toys on the living room floor, which they currently try -not so gracefully- to avoid stepping on. Like her.

_“Leave the past and all its scars, a happy beginning now is ours.”_

Emma and Killian learn something new that day too: waltz, just like life, is much better when you are holding your daughter’s hand as well.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading :)  
> I’d love to know what you thought.  
> Leia Swan-Jones is CANON (god knows how long I was waiting to say that) so I will definitely be writing more family one shots!


End file.
